Now, I dunno if you guys have heard of them. I'm going to assume you have. If you haven't that is a sin on humanity and it must change, now.

These guys are fantastic. I admit, I was extremely skeptical. Heavy metal? On a cello?

I've loved the cello for a long time. I listen to orchestra, classical and opera while I clean house. Instrumental music puts me in the groove. I have no idea. But the cello solos... they make me shiver. I just love it.

I also love metal. I love just about everything, but I am a rock chick... I grew up listening to Kurt Cobain and Green Day as well. I love Elvis and Elton John and Tina frigging Turner for fuxake. I just love it. All of it. I goof around on my guitar, listen to jams and just chill.

I never, ever imagined cello metal. I swear to the moon that I nearly did a girly when an old friend of mine sent me a link to an Apocalyptica song on youtube a few years back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4YfOyjklQQ

This one is newer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4LK7R1n-pQ

(As a side note: Damien, it might amuse you to know that I actually work out to those songs. Actually, to a lot of their songs. You know why. It's hilarious to see.)

Then, my friend informs me that these guys were originally a Metallica cover band.

Apocalyptica aren't a bad band but I've never found that entire album of theirs can hold me. It's usually just individual songs like 'Bittersweet' or 'I'm Not Jesus' that keep me interested.

Admittedly, I saw them live at a festival last year and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed their show despite it being all instrumental. Unsurprisingly, they did a bunch of Metallica covers with the crowd singing along. It was good fun.

I love instrumental music, though. It's so soothing. I adore Handel and Bach (who doesn't?) Beethoven and Mozart are okay.

These guys take a single instrument to a level I just can't get enough of. I've always enjoyed cello solos in orchestra. When I heard these guys, I was hooked. (She says, smiling at her collection of their albums) Inquisition Symphony was killer, and so was Reflections. They songs on all their CDs aren't stellar, but there are enough good songs for me to have them all.

Tall Tyrion wrote:To me they are an oddity, kind of like Van Canto. I can appreciate the talent, but I've never really gotten into them.

I dig Apocalyptica, though in smaller doses than most bands. Van Canto, however, are pure novelty, in my opinion. It's very very cool what they do, but it gets kind of annoying real quick. Some dude going "riddly-diddly-diddly-diddly-diddly-dum-dum-dumdumdum-diddly-diddly" for riffs is ridiculous! Haha.

Tall Tyrion wrote:To me they are an oddity, kind of like Van Canto. I can appreciate the talent, but I've never really gotten into them.

I dig Apocalyptica, though in smaller doses than most bands. Van Canto, however, are pure novelty, in my opinion. It's very very cool what they do, but it gets kind of annoying real quick. Some dude going "riddly-diddly-diddly-diddly-diddly-dum-dum-dumdumdum-diddly-diddly" for riffs is ridiculous! Haha.

Apocalyptica spends a lot of time on my playlist... mostly because I use them as exercise music and I enjoy their songs too. However, I prefer the instrumental of Bittersweet, as compared to the one with Ville and Laurie's vocals. The song is haunting and spellbinding with the vocals, but it overshadows the incredible cello work in the song.

I get into all kinds of music, though. My friends find it weird to hear screamo like Bullet for My Valentine start playing just after Elvis... or Apocalyptica just after Patsy Cline. *shrug* I is what I is, baby.

Tall Tyrion wrote:To me they are an oddity, kind of like Van Canto. I can appreciate the talent, but I've never really gotten into them.

I dig Apocalyptica, though in smaller doses than most bands. Van Canto, however, are pure novelty, in my opinion. It's very very cool what they do, but it gets kind of annoying real quick. Some dude going "riddly-diddly-diddly-diddly-diddly-dum-dum-dumdumdum-diddly-diddly" for riffs is ridiculous! Haha.

Apocalyptica spends a lot of time on my playlist... mostly because I use them as exercise music and I enjoy their songs too. However, I prefer the instrumental of Bittersweet, as compared to the one with Ville and Laurie's vocals. The song is haunting and spellbinding with the vocals, but it overshadows the incredible cello work in the song.

I get into all kinds of music, though. My friends find it weird to hear screamo like Bullet for My Valentine start playing just after Elvis... or Apocalyptica just after Patsy Cline. *shrug* I is what I is, baby.

I dig that. Check this...

Beastie Boys - Right Right Now NowEnchant - The ThirstGuano Apes - Pretty In ScarletFandango - Goin' Down For The Last TimeHollow - TrademarkAyreon - Out Of The While HoleDead Can Dance - Circumradiant DawnEmerg McVay - The Game Is OverEso Charis - Spirit Of RevivalGun - Watching The World Go By

That's what just came up on my playlist by clicking Next ten times. Basically...rap, prog-rock, alt-rock, 70s rock, heavy metal, prog-metal, "world music" (not sure what they hell they're classified as), rap, screamo, hard rock. I could never listen to one style, or a few similar styles. I need my death metal mixed in with folk and rap and jazz, you know.

It's all about the variation. I may tend to favour rock more than other genres, but I do love a bit of everything. It's why I've never got along with anyone who seems to laud their genre of choice as superior to every other (a problem that I've noticed mainly with metal or jazz fans, but that's probably due to my overexposure to both ;P).

I thought I was the only one that listened to almost everything all mixed up. My playlists are crazy too hehe! But no rap for me, thankyouveryverymuch (Except for the Beastie Boys... who doesn't love them?). Or gospel (This irritates my aunt, who is a professional gospel singer. She and her sister had a blast on my FB page when I quoted some Nirvana "Lake of Fire" heh). Or country that came out after... 2000. I have much love for Reba, though. My god, that woman can sing.

My current playlist has...

Ray Charles - Ol' Man River

Eric Burdon of the Animals - cover of "16 Tons" (AWESOME song. The sax solo will make you fucking cream yourself and I'm not even joking. I get asked to play this one on my guitar a lot myself. My family loves it. Dunno why. Eric sings way better than I do.)

Tool - Jerk Off and Sober

Green Day- Know Your Enemy

Elvis - Teddy Bear, Hound Dog and Devil in Disguise

Patsy Cline - Walkin After Midnight

Carly Simon - You're So Vain

Janis Joplin - Crybaby

Sublime - Wrong Way (Annie's twelve years old... in two more she'll be a whore... was there ever a more catchy opening to a song?)

Well, that's... different. I do know the "awnaw" one, though. My hubs likes rap. I have to hear it sometimes. There's always the occasional song that catches my attention, but I don't actively seek rap music. Can't stand it. But even a dead clock is right twice a day, yanno?

I will admit to my addiction to Ke$ha and Lady Gaga, though. I'm sorry, there's no musical genius there, but I love dance music. Those ladies make me wanna dance.

Hahaha, yeah that's a dodger title. Slömber are a glam band I had to review a few months back and that song was one of their best. Hilariously catchy chorus - you can give it a listen on their Myspace.

Speaking of bands I've had to review recently and relevant to our discussion of eclectic music, I had to review the debut of this band called Castrovalva. It wasn't a bad CD all around but it was awfully strange. I'm still not entirely sure what I make of it, let alone what genre I'd throw it in. This is one of their singles;

Smindas wrote:Hahaha, yeah that's a dodger title. Slömber are a glam band I had to review a few months back and that song was one of their best. Hilariously catchy chorus - you can give it a listen on their Myspace.

Speaking of bands I've had to review recently and relevant to our discussion of eclectic music, I had to review the debut of this band called Castrovalva. It wasn't a bad CD all around but it was awfully strange. I'm still not entirely sure what I make of it, let alone what genre I'd throw it in. This is one of their singles;

Really bizarre. I can't hate it, either, which is even more bizarre. Haha.